The Sad Story of Robert S. Neighbors

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If you go to Newcastle, Texas and visit the Fort Belknap cemetery there, you'll find a crumbling false crypt and a Texas historical marker dedicated to this man, Robert S. Neighbors, shown here in a circa 1847 daguerreotype.  His story is an interesting one: 

Robert came to Texas in 1836 from Virginia. He served in the Texas Army as a quartermaster.  In 1842, while serving with the legendary John C. Hays, Robert was captured by Mexican General Adrian Woll's troops and imprisoned in Mexico. He was one of the survivors of the notorious "black bean incident." He was released in 1844 and became an Indian agent.

Robert was instrumental in establishing relations with several Indian tribes, serving well enough that in 1853 he was appointed to the post of supervising agent for all of Texas. During this time he became sympathetic to the plight of various Native American tribes.  After opposition arose to having Indian reservations in Texas, Robert lobbied for and secured the transfer of tribal members to what is now Oklahoma.  While on a return trip to Texas in 1859, he was murdered by a man who was angry with Neighbors for his friendliness towards Native Americans.  In 1936, the State of Texas erected a historical marker at his grave site.